I just got back from a wonderful vacation in Cairo. While I was there, I purchased a bottle of water daily from the grocery store at the corner of my hostel. On the first day, the owner charged me 1.50 Egyptian pounds. The next day I purchased the same bottle of water and was charged 2.0 this time. On the third day, the person in front of me (a local) bought the exact same bottle and handed the owner 1.0, but when it was my turn, I was asked to pay 2.0. What would you do? Would you...

a. Confront the owner knowing your communication skills are hampered?

b. Let it go since it's only a small purchase and you don't want to make a scene as a tourist?

c. Put the water back on the shelf and go to another store knowing that you are really thirsty in the unbearable mixture of Cairo sun and horrific traffic air?

Sometimes you know that you are being 'ripped off' as a tourist. It is not always necessary to be confrontational. Certainly for 1LE extra I would not want to do the store owner out of his little 'extra'. He probably needs it a lot more than I do. That's my 2 cents worth, anyway.

leave the store, give a local 50 cents and a dollar and instruct him/her to ga in and buy you a bottle of water.

Mkonzo has an excellent idea - but I wouldn't encourage people to cheat on the basis that they are poorer than me - you only end up helping the sharks who can perfectly well help themselves. However, on the basis that you are thirsty and it's a one-off why think too much about it.

I would have visited the supermarket and bought a crate of the stuff ;-) Don't wait until you are dehydrating to drink water - get it down you before you get thirsty.

I would have offered 1 pound. Store owners are in the business of making money, and if there is a profit margin to be made in selling water for one pound, as evidenced by his sale to the local, surely he would sell to you for the same price if you were persistent.

In January, I traveled from a small city in Guatemala to the Honduran border, and the first shared taxi wanted to charge me more than the local rate (as I read in LP and told my locals). I walked to a second shared taxi, and when he tried to charge me more, I told him I'd move on to a third taxi, and he eventually charged me the same price.

I'll pay more when necessary (I was in St. Petersburg two weeks ago, and museums have disparate prices for Russians and foreigners), but with persistence, you can often get the local price.

I have been to Cairo many times, and it can't be too far to the next shop.

I'd offer the 1 pound 9keep the rest of your $ tucked out of sight) and then act confused about the upgrade - I would enquire about the difference in price assertively or even as a kind joke but not so much to make a scene or make the guy get defensive - once that's happens your basically finished. I have done this and generally the clerk will relent and make some kind of face saving remark.

I'd take my business elsewhere.
That's just plain rediculous.
Shop around.
He'll still make profit on the 1.00...2.00 is just taking advantage.

Go somewhere else.

Hi Alfred,

I had a wonderful trip to Cairo in March. I experienced the exact same problem -- I just offered the £1 and when he tried to charge me £2 I pointed out (in a joking way) that surely there must be a mistake, as the person in front of me had just paid £1. He insisted for a bit, but I just kept smiling and treating it as a silly misunderstanding, and in the end I got my water.

I did set a mental time limit of a few minutes - if it hadn't been resolved by that point, I would have left and bought my water elsewhere.

Cheers,
Julian

Sure is a lot of grumbling over less than 10 cents! 1.5 Egyptian pounds is about 26 cents. 2 Egyptian pounds is about 34 cents.

Is it fair to charge foreigners more? Of course not - but it happens all over the world and it's just something to deal with! I dealt with it when I lived in Cairo and I deal with it in our current location.

Assuming the differences stay relatively low....I just consider it part of supporting the community!

Gryxx3,
Your far more generous than me. I only want to donate to my selected causes and not be cheated. Whether it's 2 cents or 5 bucks it's still dishonest and shouldn't be encouraged. I frankly don't see how being shaken down by a shop keeper is helping the community, unless of course this guy is sharing his booty - somehow I don't believe that's the case.
Just my 2 cents or 5 bucks of opinion;
Sherry

Hello Sherry,

I agree -- somehow I doubt that the extra money goes into the community chest.

Cheers,
Julian